Sprout It Out

The weather remains snowy and cold, but there are fresh things growing indoors!

Sprouts are a wonderful way to introduce a fresh, healthy food to your winter diet. And certainly, if you are aiming to eat a low-carbon diet that incorporates lots of local foods, sprouts are an ideal way to continue eating fresh through the winter months.

They’re also really good for you! The most common types of sprouting seeds (mixes of radish, alfalfa, clover, broccoli, legumes) are rich in nutrition containing:

Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K

Minerals such as phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and calcium

Dietary Fiber

Folate

Protein

Antioxidants

Chlorophyll

Bonus: they’re easy to grow (even brown thumbs can do it!). There is some variation in the length of time various sprout mixes will take to reach completion, but the general process is similar: soak seeds, drain and rinse daily, wait for growth to be complete, and eat!

Here’s an example from my kitchen with a mix of small seeds including red clover, alfalfa, broccoli, and radish.

Start with 1 Tbsp of seeds.

Combine seeds with 4 x more water than seeds (so 4 Tbs water in this case) in a canning jar.

Cover the top with cheesecloth held in place by a rubber band, or find one of these fancy tops. (Here’s a similar one.) Soak the seeds for 2-6 hours (you’ll need more soaking time if you’re using larger seeds) and then drain.

Next you’ll get into the habit of rinsing the seeds twice a day. Just give the seeds a nice bath, drain out the water, and then keep them inverted. My lid has little “feet” that allow some air in if I leave the jar totally upside-down, but if you’re using cheesecloth, you’ll want to prop the jar up on its side so that excess water can drain out, but air can get in.

Your seeds will start sprouting within a day or two, and then are ready to eat within 3 -6 days (it takes a bit longer in the cold).

When I feel the sprouts are ready, I rinse them very well one last time (in a strainer), allow them to dry completely, and then store them in the refrigerator. I eat them on their own, with other greens, in sandwiches, or even on top of soups.

Healthy, delicious, local foods!

If you’re looking to try sprouting but can’t find seeds locally, there are a variety of places to order sprout mixes online (such as Sprout People. They also have a lot of other sprouting gear). Just make sure to get seeds specifically meant to be sprouted to avoid risk of contamination.

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11 thoughts on “Sprout It Out”

Christine, I have been following your blog for some time and I always find good things here. I have the same sprouting lids and I NEVER NOTICED the feet on them. Totally changing my spouting system – no more leaving jars in the dish drainer. Thank you, thank you for this!

Hehe, it’s funny how easy it is to miss things sometimes! Yes, the little feet do help a lot. Generally, I still keep a thin towel underneath to catch any extra drops falling out, but you can certainly save the space in your dish rack. 🙂

I have had a sprouting kit in my cupboard for over a year! It was a gift, a perfect, thoughtful gift, but I have not used it yet. I think I will be pulling it out this week. Thanks for the inspiration!

I adore sprouts and add them to all of my salads! They are a nutritional power-house not to be underestimated in my opinion! Always delighted you pop by Seasonal Celebration Wednesday! Rebecca @Natural Mothers Network x

I love this super simple take on sprouting! We are doing a sprouting workshop in my neck of the woods on Tuesday and I’ll be presenting how and why to soak / sprout grains and beans & also some jar sprouting! 🙂 I’m looking very forward to it. I’ll probably post some articles of my own soon…

about

Welcome to These Light Footsteps, the blog related to Light Footsteps Herb Farm & Learning Center.
My name is Christine and I'm a permaculturist, herbalist, and biologist doing my best to follow the rhythms of the natural world. I like to write about herbalism, backyard farming, permaculture projects, simple living, and finding spirit in nature. I'm also an attachment/gentle parent and advocate for women's choices in birth.
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disclaimer

Thank you for visiting 'these light footsteps'! Most pictures are my own (except where otherwise noted), and can be used if linked back to me.
Any suggestions or ideas I put forward about health or consuming wild foods are purely suggestions and you are responsible for ensuring the safety of anything you consume!
Go forth and step lightly!